The Exception
by Moirailis
Summary: Ren never wanted to have children. Neither did Masato, which was one of the reasons life was easy for them. Their split was a mutual and temporary one, and Ren had slept with a few women during those months, but only one had he messed up with. The result was Masuyo, the daughter he never expected to have.


Ren never wanted to have children. Neither did Masato, which was one of the reasons life was easy for them. They had seen how their friends fawned over their own children and spoiled them, and while it worked for them, it just wouldn't work for Ren and Masato. They weren't the type to be parents. Ren liked to not wear clothes and Masato had no idea how to handle kids (the reason why Ren was the favorite uncle for the children of the other STARISH members).

While Ren had never wanted children, it seemed as though the universe had been against him during those fateful few months he and Masato had split up. Masato had been stressed to the point of illness, and Ren was never helpful with anything. Their split was a mutual and temporary one, but Ren was a rather physical and passionate man, and that was where things went wrong. He had slept with a few women during those months, but only one had he messed up with. The result was Masuyo, the daughter he never expected to have and was almost an exact replica of him, in appearances, at least.

Masuyo's hair curled a bit more than Ren's did, but she had that unique orange-shaded hair that he had, and the same light blue eyes. It was surprising that she never gained any of her mother's features, except for her jawline and cheekbones. The rest, though, was all Ren.

Ren had a good relationship with Masuyo's mother, Yuuri. Yuuri had worked for Ren's family's company, making their encounter less awkward. It was a surprising phone call he had gotten from Yuuri, but Ren had been supportive, just as he should have been. It had been a few months after Masuyo's birth (Yuuri asked Ren to name their daughter, though she never explained why) that Ren and Masato picked up their relationship, and when Ren broke the news about Masuyo.

Masato handled the news well, or at least better than Ren had expected. There was only a few days of pouting and Masato being a huffy boyfriend, instead of the weeks that Ren had expected. Ren had told Masato that he planned on being active in Masuyo's life - he wanted her to know who her father was. Masato agreed that, yes, that was likely for the better. He didn't particularly like the fact that Ren had a child, but the reminder that it wasn't planned tended to settle his mind.

The fact that Ren was owning up to the mistake he had made was the biggest thing Masato noticed. The Ren that Masato had been dating before their split might have owned up to his mistakes, but reluctantly and after some prodding. This time, Ren owned up to it right away and took control. Part of Masato was proud of Ren, but at the same time, he wondered if this was the same Ren he had been dating before.

That question was answered the moment Masato walked into their apartment and Ren was sitting naked on their couch. Yes, Ren was still Ren, and he hadn't changed all that much.

It was four years after Masuyo's birth and Ren and Masato resumed dating that everything changed. There had been an accident, and things became all too familiar for Ren. Upon Masuyo's birth, Yuuri had listed Ren as a primary emergency contact. Ren had hoped that nothing would ever happen to where he would be contacted, but upon his and Masato's arrival at the hospital, he knew something very bad had happened. Ren was thankful that Masuyo had been at daycare when the accident happened, but he felt terrible that his daughter had lost her mother.

Ren had been the one to pick up Masuyo that day. It wasn't uncommon for Ren to pick her up, but he was always smiling when he did. There was no smile this time, and even little Masuyo knew something had happened, she just didn't know what. Ren had brought Masuyo back to his apartment with Masato when he told her the news. Masato didn't dare interrupt Ren, just leaning in the doorway, watching the father and daughter.

Masuyo didn't cry. Perhaps she was just too young to understand that her mother had died, or perhaps she understood that her mother was gone and that it was no one's fault. Ren didn't know the answer, but he knew that his daughter was being brave. Masuyo only cried at the funeral. Ren didn't want to go, he really didn't. He wanted to spare Masuyo from seeing her mother being buried, and he didn't want to see it either. Masato had been the one to make him go, reminding him that it was respectful, and as having been a large part of Yuuri's life for the past few years, he almost owed it to her. (Ren, after that, was forced to grow up a bit more - no more lounging around in the nude and leaving places of the apartment messy.)

Masuyo didn't cry after that, not over her mother at least. Instead, she had turned to the piano, asking Masato to teach her how to play. Part of Ren huffed at the fact that his daughter didn't have any interest in the sax like he did, but really, he enjoyed watching his lover and his daughter sit at the baby grand together, playing songs that Haruka had written for Masato long ago. Occasionally, when Masato would play Knocking on the Mind with Masuyo, Ren could hear Masato singing along. It always brought a smile to his lips, and he would bring out his sax and play the transcribed music for Masato's song.

Occasionally, Ren and Masato would sit at the piano together, Masuyo sitting on Ren's lap as Masato played the piano-only version of Double Wish, the two of them singing the lyrics just as they used to. Masuyo loved it when her father and Masato sang together. They didn't do it nearly often enough, but it was a treat when they did. Masuyo was always entranced with the way Masato's fingers flew across the keys and Masato always took the chance to show off his skills with the piano.

It wasn't until Syo mentioned how domesticated Ren and Masato had become since Masuyo joined them did they realize that Masuyo had begun to add "papa" to the beginning of Masato's name. Ren had always been "daddy", but the two wondered when the little girl had begun to call Masato "papa". She had always called him Masa before.

After Syo had made his little (and rather snarky) comment (Ren hoped that neither of Syo's kids picked that up from him in the future), Ren began to notice the way Masato had fallen into the role of "papa" quickly, though in his opinion, "mama" was a bit more accurate. After all, Masato mothered Masuyo constantly. But it was cute, and Ren could tell Masato didn't mind.

It was while they were in bed one night that Ren finally raised the question. "Hey, Masa?" Masato only turned to look at him, half asleep. Ren always asked him something just as he was falling asleep. "I thought... Whatever happened to not wanting kids? You could have left me as soon as I took in Masuyo, but you didn't. You're her papa now. What changed?"

Masato had sighed and raised himself up slightly, half glaring at the man beside him. "Jinguji, it is almost one am, and now you choose to ask me about this? Honestly, I thought you would have figured it out by now. It's because she's yours. You're right, I never wanted children. Masuyo is the exception." he stated, laying back down. "Leave you... honestly! You're an idiot. For some reason, I love you far too much to ever consider that an option. Now shut up and go to sleep."


End file.
